Crescent holds orientation day for first cohort of IAB students

LOCAL online education provider Crescent Sdn Bhd held an orientation day for its first cohort of IAB students at the iCentre yesterday.

Crescent signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the International Association of Bookkeepers (IAB) and the International Association of Accounting Professionals (IAAP) UK in October last year. The IAB is a government-approved and statutory supervisory body that sets world-class standards, offering students worldwide the chance to gain the very best financial qualifications.

These IAB courses can be taken in Brunei exclusively through Crescent, its CEO Hjh Salma binti Hj Abdul Latif said yesterday.

A total of 11 students make up the first cohort for Crescent’s IAB courses, while the second intake is set to take place in June.

In addition to welcoming the first cohort to their programme for a diploma in accounting and advanced bookkeeping, yesterday’s event also saw the launch the new IAB/Crescent website.

As it was described yesterday, the website is a premier effort in introducing online education for the Bruneian education system.

“This method of study is the first of its kind in Brunei as it allows students to have a website that allows them and the public to view the happenings in the programme, while also allowing students to gain access to an e-learning system where they can view video sessions carried out in a classroom, and at the same time view lecture notes and download practical exercises.”

The programme can be completed in less than a year, and can be done either online, in a physical classroom setting or in a mix of both. Students who are unable to attend classes can easily catch up through the online course options, and come into Crescent once a month for a progress check and to submit exercises.

On hand to read the recitation of Doa for yesterday’s event was Rushdi Dato Ibrahim, the CEO of Halbase, who also initiated the event.

The MoUs signed by Crescent with the IAB and IAAP last October were geared towards providing bookkeeping and accounting skills to Bruneians in the commercial sector. As Hjh Salma said after the signing, these skills can assist to develop sophisticated financial knowledge essential in today’s business environment, and through IAB and IAAP comes an opportunity for youths and new entrepreneurs to attain financial skills.

Upon completion of the IAB, students have the option of sitting for two Islamic business courses to obtain another certificate – IAAP Islamic Business – which is also certified by the IAB.